The only type of good writing tells a truth. That's why writers either write about what they know, or they do a ton of research only so that they can write about what they know. I am envious of the Romantic style, which writers would pick a far-off destination, do no research, and write a consistant story about exotic places which were completely inaccurate. Of course, there is a lot of this writing that we (the partakers of fine art) do not remember, but it would be so much easier to write if facts could be recklessly disregarded.
The piece I'm currently writing is a novel. I've been working on it for two or three years, developing details, but it wasn't until this April that I found the method of telling the story. I'm writing it as the protagonist's journal as he writes a rock album. It's pretty unorganized because the protagonist would not ordinarily journal his life, but he has turned to journaling in order to collect thoughs for his writing. If that wasn't demanding enough for me to turn into something readable, I'm also having to conduct research because I decided to set the novel in the '90s. I was in elementary school in the '90s, but my protagonist graduated in '96. He's nine years older than me. I don't remember much of the culture of the '90s. The biggest thing that I have to research is the music scene--I have to develop musical influences for the album that Vincent, the protagonist, is writing. I have already finished writing the album (I might change a few things), but I was most influenced by music of '05-'07. Now I need to listen to a bunch of late '80s to mid-'90s albums in order for the novel to be consistant.
Next stop, the public library. I need to pick up some Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Smashing Pumpkins. I don't know if I can take that much '90s music!
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